A Rose Between Two Thorns
by hidingthetruthbehindamask
Summary: A Rose Between Two Thorns is on hiatus from now on due to the fact I am snowed under with coursework. I am not finished with this story and I promise I will finish this story whenever I get chance- Hanabella Louise 25/2/12
1. Chapter 1

Robin Hood

Robin & Guy's Rose

By Hannah Curbishley

Chapter 1- Mystery Stranger

Robin & The Gang (Much, Allan, Little John, Katie & Tuck) walked into Nottingham, trying very hard not to been seen by the Sherriff's men. Being outlaws was hard but also fun, stealing from the rich to give to the poor, best job in the world.

"The Sherriff has more men that usually around Nottingham. Something must have happened," Tuck said to Robin. The others looked at him a little confused

"I was thinking the same thing. This is strange, very strange." Robin felt confused as well. He didn't like this

"STOP IN THE NAME OF THE PRINCE." The Gang turned to where the shouts were coming from. The Sherriff's men were chasing someone in a mask who had bags of money. Robin & The Gang looked on in amazement as the stranger did three back flips, dropping their money and kicking three of the sheriff's men in the face which made them fall on the others. The stranger jumped onto their horse and rode out of Nottingham.

"Who the hell was that?" Much, Allan, Tuck, Little John & Kate said together. Robin just looked on after the stranger thinking. 'I know those moves from somewhere, I remember someone using those moves.'

"Come on. We'll follow him, see where he goes." Robin & The Gang followed after the stranger. They arrived in Lockleys to discover from Kate's mother that they had just missed the stranger

"Great we've missed him." Much blew out a sigh.

"What makes you think he's a man?" Kate's mother said.

"Mum, do you know something we don't know?" Kate softly said.

"The Stranger you're looking for is a woman, not a man." Kate's mother shot Robin & the rest of the male gang members a look.

"How do you know she's a woman?" Tuck was very confused.

"She spoke to me, when she gave us the money." Kate's mother pointed to the bag's of money on the table.

"Well at least we know she's on our side." Robin gave Kate a smile.

"I wonder who she is. I mean, come on, she must have had great training to be so light on her feet," Much said as the Gang walked back to their camp.

"Much is right. We need to find out who she is. She might be able to help us," Tuck said. Robin was deep in thought.

"I'm not bothered who she is. As long as she stays of our patch I'm happy," Allan said. Robin was still deep in thought.

"Robin, you okay?" Kate broke Robin from his thoughts.

"Yeah, I'm fine just thinking." Robin's mind was racing.

"About what?" Much, Allan, Little John, Tuck & Kate said together.

"It's nothing important. Don't worry about it." Robin got up walking out into the forest. He was thinking about the woman they had saw in Nottingham. He thought he might know who she is and it hoped that it was. He hoped it was the one person he hasn't seen in ten years. He wanted to see her again.

**Author Comment**

**Next Chapter**

**Fights**

_**Sneak Peak**_

**Robin had the stranger on the floor. Her mask covered her eyes.**

"**You really shouldn't mess with Robin Hood," Allan called.**

"**Robin? Robin Hood?" The Stranger said.**

"**That's right, Robin Hood," Tuck called.**

"**Robin, it's me." The stranger pulled her mask away from her face to reveal a pale face with dark green eyes. Robin looked at her in amazement.**

"**R-Rose?" Was all Robin could say.**

"**Hello Robin. Long time, no see." Rose gave Robin a small smile & Robin's heart started to melt.**


	2. Chapter 2

Robin Hood

Robin & Guy's Rose

By Hannah Curbishley

Robin & the Gang were feeling very put out by the masked woman whose name they still didn't know.

Robin & the Gang felt like they had been replaced by this masked woman. She was doing their job. She was stealing the limelight from Robin & the Gang & they didn't like it.

"I hate that stupid masked woman," Allan said as he paced around the outlaws camp.

"Why do you hate her Allan? You don't know her." Robin lay on his hammock.

"Robin, she's stolen our job. People don't need us anymore when they've got Miss Back-flip on the scene." Allan blew out a sigh

"I'm with Allan," Much & Little John said together.

"I don't understand you guys. We do our job to help the poor, not for fame. So someone else is doing our job too. And does it really matter?" Tuck stood in front of Allan, Little John & Much.

"Sorry Tuck, but I'm with the others on this one. I hate to say it, but Allan's right. We were here first & she swans in and takes over. Talk about rude." Robin had gotten up from his hammock & was now at Tuck's side.

"I cannot believe that you, Robin Hood, just said that." Tuck shot Robin a disappointed look.

At that very moment Kate came running into camp, flustered.

"She's here, in the forest," Kate managed to say after having stopped for a few minutes to catch her breath.

"Who's in the forest? Kate calm down & explain," Tuck said.

"The Masked Woman, the pain in our backsides, she's here in the forest. I've just seen her." Kate gave Robin a look, a look that Tuck didn't like.

"What are you thinking Robin?" Tuck worried about what Robin's answer would be.

"I'm going to confront her & give her a choice. She can either work with us or she can leave us to do our job in peace." Robin grabbed his bow & arrow. Tuck didn't like this plan one bit.

"Robin, I do not like this plan. It isn't fair, and she's done nothing wrong." Tuck was trying to reason with Robin.

"Tuck you don't like it don't come. So who's coming with me to get our job back?" Robin now stood in front of the Gang.

"I'm with you Robin," Allan, Little John, Much & Kate said together.

"What about you Tuck?" Robin looked at Tuck.

"I'm with you too Robin. I don't like it, but I'm with you." Tuck stood next to Robin now.

"Good man, now I'll take her on. You guys stay in the background just in case there's any trouble." Robin gave the gang a smirk.

"Were right behind you Robin, ready to cover your back," Allan, Little John, Much, Tuck & Kate said together which made Robin smile.

The Gang grabbed their weapons just in case things turned nasty & they had to defend themselves.

The masked woman stood in the middle of a clearing, firing her arrows at the trees. She hit the top of one of the tress with her arrow, and Robin was impressed.

"Good shot, very impressive." Robin walked towards her; she drew the sword, which she had in her sheath. Dropping her bow & arrow she held the sword towards Robin.

"Whoa easy, I'm not here to fight." Robin walked towards her a little more his hand on his sword. The woman launched for Robin with her sword. Robin had pulled his sword out of his sheath now. The two swords clashed.

"I'm not here to fight. Let's both drop the weapons." Robin had managed to grab hold of her wrist.

"Fine," the stranger snapped at Robin, dropping her sword. She removed Robin's hand from her wrist, before kicking Robin in the chest. He fell to the floor breathless. The woman climbed on top of him, putting a knife to his throat. He pushed her off him. Her knife lay next to her. She went to grab it, but Robin grabbed her right hand. Tuck picked up the knife. The rest of the gang we're now in the clearing. Robin let go of the stranger's arms but kept her pinned to the floor.

"You really shouldn't mess with Robin Hood," Allan called.

"Robin? Robin Hood?" the stranger said, shocked.

"That's right, Robin Hood," Tuck called.

"Robin, it's me." The stranger pulled her mask away from her face to reveal a pale face with dark green eyes. Robin looked at her in amazement.

"R-Rose?" was all Robin could say.

"Hello Robin. Long time, no see." Rose gave Robin a small smile & Robin's heart started to melt.

"Robin, would you please let me up. This is uncomfortable." Rose giggled a little at Rob's red face; the others just looked at each other confused. Robin got up of Rose, offering her his hand. Rose took it & sparks flew between them as their eyes locked.

"Would someone please explain who the hell she is?" Allan said breaking the magical moment between Rose & Robin.

"She has a name. It's Rose. I'm a friend of Robin's. We know each other from the Holy Lands." Robin laughed at Rose; he was thinking'same old Rose, still stubborn'.

"Something funny, Robin?" Rose looked at Robin. Their eyes met again

"It's you. You're the still the same Rose. I thought you might have changed after ten years." Robin kept his eyes on Rose. Her chocolate brown hair was over one of her shoulders. He had missed her.

"So are you going to introduce me to your friends Robin?" Rose looked sweetly at Robin. He looked a little different since the last time she had seen him, but he was still her Robin, her hero, her first & true love.

"Right! Sorry! Rose, this is Allan, John, Much, Kate & Tuck. Guys, this is Rose." Robin pointed to each Gang member as he named them. Rose & Much were a little surprised to see each other again.

"It's great to meet you all & it's even better seeing you gain Much. Missed me? Rose gave Much a small but cheeky smile.

"Of course I have. Come here." Much returned Rose's smile & the two hugged.

"Come on, let's get back to camp, you too Rose. We need to explain a little better to the others who you are." Robin, Rose & the Gang walked back to the outlaws' camp. Robin & Rose tried very hard to resist each other even thought they wanted to give into their feelings & kiss right their in front of the others, but they would have to explain not just who Rose was and why they just kissed, so the two tried all the way back to camp to stay strong.


	3. Chapter 3

_**A Rose Between Two Thorns**_

_**By Hanabella Louise**_

_**A/N: The flashbacks in this chapter are written in italics, just in case anyone gets confused! Enjoy the chapter. I know it's been a while since I updated this story, so I hope this chapter makes up for the wait!**_

_**Chapter 3- Battlefield**_

"So, how did you two meet?" Allan asked, breaking the silence that had settled in the camp. Rose, Robin, and the rest of the gang were sitting around an open fire. Rose gave Robin a small smile.

"Well, that's easy. We met on the battlefield," Rose said, before she began to tell the story of how Robin and Rose had first met, and how Robin taught Rose how to use a bow and arrow.

_**Ten Years Earlier**_

_Rose was born to fight, so when she was sent to the Holy Lands to nurse the sick soldiers that were fighting in the name of King Richard, there wasn't a hope in hell that she was going to sit around nursing the sick when she knew in her heart she should be out on the battlefield. After begging and seducing the army's commanding officer, Rose got what she wanted, a place in the army._

"_You're pretty handy with a sword," a voice behind Rose said. She turned fast with her sword, and nearly took the man's who the voice belonged to head off._

"_Careful! You're gonna end up killing someone before we've even reached the battlefield. I'm Robin, by the way, and you are?" Robin said, offering Rose his hand, and giving her a small smile. Rose lowered her sword to her side and took his hand, giving it a gentle shake._

"_Rose. Nice to meet you, Robin. Sorry I nearly took off your head, but you caught me by surprise. Most of the men here haven't said a word to me since I joined the army. Most of them think I'm not strong enough to fight," Rose said with a tiny smile. Robin chuckled a little, before pulling his own sword out._

"_Care to show this lot that they're wrong?" Robin asked with a smirk. Rose didn't answer, just pulled her sword back up and swung it towards Robin, and the two swords clashed as Robin pulled his in front of his face to protect himself from the blow of Rose's sword. She wrapped her leg around his, knocking him off balance, before he ended up on the floor with his sword next to him, and Rose's sword pressed to his chest._

"_Pretty good. You're handy with a sword," Robin said with a smile, as the others watched Rose withdraw her sword from Robin's chest before offering him her hand, pulling him up._

"_You, on the other hand, aren't. So, what are you good at, Robin?" Rose asked with a smirk, as the other men went back to training._

"_I'm pretty handy with a bow and arrow. I'll show you if you like?" Robin offered, putting his sword away. Rose looked at him for a moment, before doing the same._

"_Lead the way," Rose said with a tiny smile. Robin smiled back, and the two walked off the patch of grass that the Army Commanding Officer had assigned for sword fighting training. The army was based on a very large piece of land, and it had been split into sections for different types of training. That way, injuries didn't happen often. Rose followed Robin across towards where a group of men were __practicing with bows and arrows. Rose sighed. Her sword was her weapon of choice. Using a bow and arrow wasn't something she was good at._

"_Do you know how to use a bow and arrow?" Robin asked, picking up two bows and a bag of arrows, before walking over to Rose and handing her own of the bows._

"_Not really, I prefer my sword, to be honest," Rose said with a tiny sigh. Robin looked at her before grabbing an arrow out of the bag, mounting it onto the bow, and firing it into one of the trees, before going to retrieve it. Rose couldn't help the smile that spread across her face as Robin returned. He was talented with a bow and arrow, she couldn't deny that._

"_I'll make you a deal. I'll teach you everything I know in exchange for you teaching me everything you know. Deal?" Robin said, offering Rose his hand. She looked at him, thinking about his offer, before shaking his hand._

"_Deal," Rose said, giving Robin a small smile. Robin just chuckled._

"_Right, let's get to work. I'll show you how to use a bow and arrow, because that's easier than sword fighting," Robin said with a smile. Rose just sighed._

"_It's easy for you," Rose said, pulling up her crossbow, grabbing an arrow, and pulling the bow up to fire, she pulled the arrow back, letting go. The arrow fell to her feet. She let out a frustrated sigh, whereas Robin was trying not to chuckle at how flustered and frustrated Rose looked._

"_It's not funny!" Rose said, giving Robin a dirty look. He sighed, and putting his bow down, walked over to Rose, picking up the arrow._

"_Here, let me show you," Robin said, before he put his arm around Rose's waist, making Rose pull away a bit as he took her hand and put in on the crossbow, guiding her hand as she pulled up the crossbow, before using his free hand to press the arrow against the string._

"_Pull it all the way back, then release" Robin said with a small smile. Rose looked at him, their faces pressed together, their breaths blowing on each other's face, as Rose pulled the bow all the way back before releasing it. Robin and Rose watched as the arrow flew through the air, hitting the tree that Robin had hit earlier. Rose couldn't help the smile that spread across her face as the arrow hit the tree. Robin smiled too, letting Rose go before running off to grab the arrow from the tree._

"_See? It's easy once you know how. Do you think you can do it on your own now?" Robin asked, as he returned to where Rose was standing with her freshly fired arrow._

"_Of course," Rose said with a smirk. Robin stood a few steps away from Rose. Rose gave him a quick glance, before she pressed the arrow against the string of the crossbow, pulling it right back towards her face before releasing it. Robin watched as the arrow flew through the air again, hitting the same spot as before. Rose gave Robin a smile before going to retrieve the arrow._

"_Well done. Right, now it's your turn to teach me how to sword fight," Robin said as Rose returned. Rose couldn't help the smirk that spread across her face._

"_Let's go," Rose said, putting away the bow and arrow, before walking back towards the sword training ground with Robin hot on her heels._

"Training her to use a bow and arrow was easy," Robin said as with a smile, as the others ate their dinner.

"Training him to use a sword was a bit more difficult," Rose said, as she started to tell them about training Robin to use a sword.

"_If we were fighting the enemy, you'd be dead," Rose said, as she had Robin back on the floor, his sword to the side of him, her sword pressed to his chest. This was the third time she'd managed to knock Robin off balance._

"_It's harder than using my bow and arrow," Robin said, looking up at Rose. She sighed, and pulled her sword away from his chest, putting it back in her sheath, before offering him her hand. He looked at her for a moment, and took her hand, pulling himself up._

"_It's all about balance, and being one with your sword," Rose said with a tiny smile. Robin just sighed, picking his sword up from the floor._

"_I prefer my bow and arrow, to be honest," Robin said, offering Rose a reprieve, but she did not take it, and just pulled out her own sword._

"_No, we are not giving up. Again. Remember, balance, and being one with the sword. Once you've got the enemy off balance, it's smooth sailing from there," Rose said with a smirk. Robin just sighed before raising his sword. Rose smiled at him before she swung her sword. He pulled his sword up to protect his face, and both swords clashed. Robin pulled his sword away as Rose pulled hers away, but he swung his back at her before she had a chance to react. He knocked her to the floor. The tables had turned. Rose was now on the floor, with Robin's sword against her chest._

"_Well done," Rose said with a smile. Robin pulled his sword away and helped her up._

"_Thanks," Robin said with a small smile. Rose put her sword away, before pushing her hair behind her ears._

"_Let's go and get something to eat. I'm starving," Rose said, before she walked off the battlefield, followed closely by Robin._

"So, when was the last time you two saw each other before tonight?" Tuck asked. Robin and Rose looked at each other for a moment.

"After a battle. We won, of course. Robin was hurt, and I looked after his wound, and after that, he decided to leave. He was missing home, I guess," Rose said with a tiny smile.

"Right, I think we should all turn in. Rose, are you going to stay here?" Robin asked. Rose just shook her head.

"No thank you, Robin. It was nice meeting you all," Rose said, heading out of camp before Robin followed her out. Kate sighed as she watched Robin go.

"Rose!" Robin called after her as she walked across the woods. Rose stopped, and turned to look at him.

"Yes Robin?" Rose asked as Robin joined her. A piece of her hair had fallen across her face. He moved it away.

"Why did you lie? About the last time we saw each other?" Robin asked with a confused expression painted across his face. Rose just sighed, turning away from him.

"Because they don't need to know the real version of events, and if I'm honest, I like to believe those events happened rather than the real ones," Rose said with a sigh, as she thought back to the last time she and Robin ever saw each other.

"_OW!" Robin cried out as Rose treated his wound. The battle seven months after Rose and Robin had met had been a bloody one, and some of the men had been killed. Rose had escaped the bloodshed with just simple cuts and bruises, whereas Robin's arm had been slashed with an enemy's sword. The wound was deep, very deep, but it was treatable._

"_Would you please hold still? You're moving too much, and that's why it's hurting," Rose said with a tiny sigh, as she began to rub alcohol into the wound to clean it. Robin grabbed the bench with his other arm, trying to keep still as the alcohol burned the wound, before Rose wrapped soft cotton around the cut to bandage it._

"_There, all done. You'll need to redress that wound in a couple of days," Rose said with a small smile, as she packed away her equipment. Robin flexed the hand of his injured arm, and winced at the pain._

"_I suggest you don't move that arm for a couple of days, while it's healing," Rose said with a tiny smile, getting up to leave Robin's tent. Robin grabbed her hand with his good arm._

"_Stay with me? Please," Robin pleaded with Rose. She looked at him for a moment, then she looked at the tent door, then back at Robin._

"_Okay, just for a bit. Then I have to go," Rose said, sitting back down across from Robin. Robin gave her a small smile. _

"_Were you close to any of the men killed today?" Robin asked with a tiny smile. Rose just sighed and shook her head._

"_No, you're the only one I've actually gotten close to over the last seven months. The rest of them still believe I don't belong here," Rose said with a small sigh. Robin just chuckled._

"_I'm not close to most of them either, to be honest, and they're wrong. You fight better than most of them. I guess they're just jealous," Robin said. Rose just laughed._

"_Why, thank you, Robin," Rose said with a tiny smile, kissing Robin's cheek. Robin looked at her for a minute, moving a piece of stray hair that had fallen across her face away, before he placed his lips to hers, locking them in a passionate kiss. Robin ran his hands through Rose's hair before Rose pulled away from him, standing up and backing away from him like he'd just slapped her across the face with a hot iron._

"_Don't. Robin, just don't," Rose said, leaving the tent. Robin followed hot on her heels, grabbing her arm._

"_Rose, there's something between us, and you know it. Why are you running away from what's between us?" Robin asked. Rose pulled her arm away from him, not looking at him._

"_Because, this can't happen. I can't do this with you. I'm sorry," Rose said, before she walked away towards her own tent, leaving Robin watching her walk away, not sure how to feel after their kiss and her rejection of his love._

"I came to see you the next morning. You were gone. No letter to explain why you'd left. I would have given up everything to be with you, Rose, everything," Robin said as Rose started to silently cry. She didn't say anything. Robin let out a sigh before starting to walk away.

"I did write you a letter I just couldn't find the courage to leave it for you," Rose said, tossing the letter near Robin's feet.

"Are you gonna leave again? Will you come back tomorrow morning, or am I gonna lose you again?" Robin asked, picking up the letter.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Robin. I promise. Goodnight, Robin," Rose said, walking away. Robin watched her go, and made sure she was gone before he opened her letter, and read it as he walked back to camp.

_**Dear Robin,**_

_**I know I reacted badly to our kiss, but I have my reasons. Really, I do. I stopped trusting and letting people get close enough to love me a long time ago, due to the fact that my mother was murdered when I was seven and a half. My father is the reason she was killed. He wanted rid of me. After Mother's murder, he sold me off to pay his debts. I was sold to different powerful lords till I was fifteen, then I escaped, and I've taken care of myself ever since. I've never ever let anyone close to me till know. You were the first person Robin that's ever been this close to me, and that scares me. You make me feel like I'm losing control, and I was robbed of control over my life after my father sold me, and I can't go back to that Robin, and I'm sorry. By the time you read this, I'll be gone. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me one day.**_

_**Goodbye, Robin.**_

_**Yours**_

_**Rose x**_

Robin sighed as he lay down on his hammock as he finished reading Rose's letter. He folded it back up, putting it into his coat pocket before looking up at the stars, thinking about Rose, and as he drifted off to sleep, he hoped he wouldn't lose her again.


End file.
